The discovery thread!

[FastGecko5]

Chu 2 (weird rhyme there)

Gesundheit

 

[W0lrince]

Hm the Kara is darker than i thought it's like Aria and Sony N3 have a baby...
impressive things:
+ Eartips
+ Huge but comfortable (for me)
+ Resemble of Sony N3 (especially when using foam)

 

[ian91]

This is not a new release, heck, it's over a year old, but the Warwick Acoustics Bravura is the best pair of headphones I have ever had on my desk (and that includes Susvara). Breathtakingly good sound, literally can't find a flaw even after a whole month of nitpicking.

Microdynamics are precise, imaging is laser-sharp, bass slams hard which is quite rare for estats, and there are no tonal aberrations that I can hear. Timbre is not as natural as certain ZMF headphones but that's about it, and something I don't even notice after some time.

Do try to give these a listen when visiting CanJam or another audio show. A worthwhile experience. Sadly mine are loaners so they'll be sent back pretty soon. #sigh

Does this tie you into using the Sonoma/M1 amp systems or can you use others? What are the power requirements like? Looks like a beauty.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

For who is interested, QUDELIX T71 is out for preorder:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/qudelix-t71-usb-dac

At the moment I see no trace of the special 4-way IEMs to get the surround.

 

[Jaytiss]

For who is interested, QUDELIX T71 is out for preorder:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/qudelix-t71-usb-dac

At the moment I see no trace of the special 4-way IEMs to get the surround.

I see no reason to take the plunge on this. I just don't see what it can do. I hope it's really cool, but don't see the appeal without the iem attached to it. Sounds like a gimmick that can be done with software. It's definitely more powerful than the 5k, but what's the market? I honestly don't know.

My logic is this, if I need more power I'll probably have a desktop amp and eq with Peace APO. So it just doesn't make sense to me at the moment.

 

[SynaestheticA]

Just playing devil's advocate, should price not be a factor in rating gear?

Let's take an exaggerated example for discussion:
- IEM A scores 4/5 based on technical performance, but costs $300 USD.
- IEM B has exactly the same technical performance as IEM A, but IEM B costs $100 USD.

Is it fair to grade both 4/5? Shouldn't the more expensive IEM be rated down, or at least the less expensive one be given more credit? If both are graded 4/5, where does the aspect of price-to-performance ratio come in? Should we be a bit more lenient with very cheap gear, and stricter with more expensive products, or treat all equally and strictly?

I'd say you have a good point until you take it to the extreme.

If you have a $30 iem that you rate 5/5 the assumption would be that this is one of the best IEMs you can get. At the moment with cheaper units I'm seeing 5/5 scores going to sibilant narrow, poor quality iems because 'the price'. But why would you pay that money for something bad?

To me a 5/5 says "if you have the money, you should purchase this"

I reserve 5/5 for an iem that does something special, doesn't have to be perfect, but it has to offer something unique that is worth hearing. Now that's subjective, but it's better than "this $20 iem is cheap but sounds almost as good as a $60 iem"

 

[newworld666]

For who is interested, QUDELIX T71 is out for preorder:

https://www.qudelix.com/products/qudelix-t71-usb-dac

At the moment I see no trace of the special 4-way IEMs to get the surround.

I already own some qudelix, and it seems they didn't improve at all the 4 hours battery playing time (LDAC connexion) it's far to be sufficient for any of my uses..

 

[Uprox]

I see no reason to take the plunge on this. I just don't see what it can do. I hope it's really cool, but don't see the appeal without the iem attached to it. Sounds like a gimmick that can be done with software. It's definitely more powerful than the 5k, but what's the market? I honestly don't know.

My logic is this, if I need more power I'll probably have a desktop amp and eq with Peace APO. So it just doesn't make sense to me at the moment.

I'm waiting for the Shanling H7. I guess I'll can try this monster in two weeks.

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I see no reason to take the plunge on this. I just don't see what it can do. I hope it's really cool, but don't see the appeal without the iem attached to it. Sounds like a gimmick that can be done with software. It's definitely more powerful than the 5k, but what's the market? I honestly don't know.

My logic is this, if I need more power I'll probably have a desktop amp and eq with Peace APO. So it just doesn't make sense to me at the moment.

I understand your point.
I just read that the special 4-way IEMs will be released in Q3-2023 (hoping that the forecasts are respected, contrary to what happened for the T71).

Personally I'm interested (nerd stuff) even just as a headphone amp, hoping we implemented PEQ like they did for the 5K.

The market for this DAC (the only one of its kind on the market as far as I know) with its special IEMs should go beyond just listening to music,
also entering other fields of entertainment (surround movies, gaming)

 

[JEHL]

I personally don't like to factor genre into the overall performance due to how chaotic my playlists tend to be. I suppose it boils down to what my preferred overall sound signature is. Is this something only I do?

Probably made all that much more difficult by the fact that I dislike collecting as a whole.

I also love Crinacle's take on separating the overall ranking that ignores the asking price and a value rating that factors the asking price.

Do you think I want to audition the Scarlet Mini?

 

[Ferdinando1968]

I already own some qudelix, and it seems they didn't improve at all the 4 hours battery playing time (LDAC connexion) it's far to be sufficient for any of my uses..

Please note that this product is wired only, no BT.

 

[PROblemdetected]

Ideally, it is instructive to exclude price, as it can fluctiate and be different in different countries.

Then for this "ideal" absolute evaluation, scale of 1 to 5 won't be sufficient, even 1 to 10. So scoring out of 100 will be needed.

Also, those who evaluate should ideally have an access to reference IEMs across the scale, the scores of which are mutually agreed upon.

To achieve the above criteria is hardly practical and realistic, so subjectivity pretty much rules.

In this context, to get a good grasp of a IEM evaluation, multiple different opinions are needed to arrive closer to the objective truth.

So, scoring from 0-100...

Would like to achieve a level of listening that let me difference between a 88 scored iem vs a 86 one. Or difference between a stage from 72 to 66.

Why score iems? Why not talk about them, without "salad words, and get the emotions or best thing about it transmitted?

-fi

 

[PROblemdetected]

I already own some qudelix, and it seems they didn't improve at all the 4 hours battery playing time (LDAC connexion) it's far to be sufficient for any of my uses..

Im really intriguing about 7.1 signal, for a gamer perspective, its an interesting add.

Will be nice to know the output impedance and power delivered on differents output.

Did u find that info? Thanks in advance.

 

[Uprox]

So, scoring from 0-100...

Would like to achieve a level of listening that let me difference between a 88 scored iem vs a 86 one. Or difference between a stage from 72 to 66.

Why score iems? Why not talk about them, without "salad words, and get the emotions or best thing about it transmitted?

-fi

These scores have sense only for technicalities. For other reasons it doesn't work. I can't believe that Legato has better sound then Shozy B2, but I believe in pleasure during listening to Legato in some tracks/styles.

 

[gooberbm]

To me a 5/5 says "if you have the money, you should purchase this"

You just figured out the answer, and then went right past it. A 5/5 on a $20 set would tell someone who can only afford a $20 IEM that "you should purchase this".

Not everything has to be about you. If a $20 IEM is nothing to you anymore, then it's okay to keep to yourself and let the people that need that review have it.